3 Tips for Starting a New Fitness Journey

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Out of all the different New Year’s resolutions that get made time and time again, and that often fall by the wayside pretty quickly, the commitment to start a new fitness routine must be somewhere near the top of the list.

Everyone basically knows that being physically active on a regular basis is very beneficial in all sorts of different ways, ranging from better health, to improved mood, higher confidence, and more.

The thing is, starting a new fitness journey – and sticking with it over the long term – can be a bit daunting.

Here are a few great tips to try out when starting a new fitness journey, so that you get the most out of the experience.

Reduce barriers to getting started (and consider creating a home gym setup)

A lot of what gets in the way of a new fitness routine is often the fact that our natural mental resistance to doing something difficult meets some external barrier or obstacle, and our willpower or resolve crumbles as a result.

Maybe you go for weeks without missing a workout, then one day you’re tired after work, it’s raining, you have a long drive to the gym, and you just can’t be bothered.

One of the best ways of improving your consistency on your fitness journey is by taking steps to reduce the barriers to getting started as much as possible.

One great option could be to consider creating a home gym setup, whether that means contacting a Basement Construction Company and having a fully kitted out gym built at your property, or whether it just means getting a few resistance bands and a yoga mat.

Focus on getting the habit of working out solidified, and be consistent with timing

If you can make working out a habit, and a more or less established part of your everyday routine, it is usually going to be a lot easier to ignore that little voice in your mind that tells you to skip your workout and go back to bed, and to just get up and get exercising instead.

When you’re first getting your fitness routine established, focus specifically on making it a habit, before you really work on increasing intensity, or anything else.

Pick a set time of day when you will do your workouts, and make a point of showing up regularly and being consistent with your timing.

Go for forms of exercise that you genuinely enjoy

So, you hate using the elliptical trainer at your gym, but your friend told you that it’s the best way to get your cardio in, so you force yourself to hit the elliptical day after day.

Do you think that this is ultimately going to make you more or less likely to stick with your fitness journey over time?

Although there are all sorts of commonly repeated guidelines out there about the best way to work out, the basic fact of the matter is that you can get fit by doing a huge range of different activities – so you might as well go for forms of exercise that you actually, genuinely enjoy.

Try a dance class, or a martial arts class. Go jogging in nature, or cycle to work. Whatever you do, just take steps to make your fitness routine enjoyable and fulfilling.

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